James Leo Herlihy

James Leo Herlihy was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1927. Before becoming a writer, Herlihy had been in the Navy, studied sculpture and studied at the Pasadena Playhouse College of the Theater. Making a name for himself as a playwright in the 1950s, Herlihy also began to write novels, including his best known work Midnight Cowboy, which was made into a film starring Jon Voight and Dustin Hoffman in 1969.

Herlihy passed away at the age of 66, in Los Angeles. He remains best known for his novels Midnight Cowboy and All Fall Down and his play Blue Denim, all of which were adapted for cinema. Other publications include The Season of the Witch and several short stories.